STRESS - ANXIETY

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions where long lasting excessive worry, fear, and nervousness interfere with a person’s daily life. It’s natural for people to feel anxious sometimes, especially in stressful situations, but for those with anxiety disorders, these feelings are persistent, overwhelming, and may occur without any specific trigger.

This is the umbrella term for 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Characterized by excessive worry about various events or activities. The anxiety is difficult to control and can lead to physical symptoms like fatigue, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.

Panic Disorder

Involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks. These attacks are sudden periods of intense fear or discomfort, often accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, or dizziness feeling of impending doom.

Agoraphobia

This disorder involves fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult or help might be unavailable. It leads people to avoid certain places or situations, such as crowds or traveling alone.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

Involves intense fear of social situations where the person might be embarrassed or judged. The fear of being negatively evaluated or humiliated is a core feature.

Specific Phobia

A specific phobia is the fear of a particular object or situation, such as heights, animals, injections, or flying. This fear is usually out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the object or situation.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Primarily seen in children but can occur in adults, it involves excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from those to whom the individual is attached (such as parents or significant others).

Selective Mutism

This disorder involves a consistent inability to speak in specific social situations (e.g., at school or in public), despite the person being able to speak in other contexts (e.g., at home with family). It is often seen in children. People with selective mutism may want to speak but are unable to.

Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition

This occurs when anxiety symptoms are triggered by a medical condition, such as a thyroid disorder or heart disease.

Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety symptoms caused by the use of substances such as drugs, alcohol, or medication withdrawal. The anxiety can occur during intoxication or as a withdrawal symptom.